A huge fire broke out at Motel 9 University and a restaurant in Austin, Texas on Sunday, October 5. The restaurant is situated off Interstate 35 near St. David's Medical Centre and the University of Texas. However, the fire department reached the spot and the operation to douse the blaze has began.
A fire official informed that the blaze is under control and no injuries in the following incident were reported. The cause of the fire is still under the investigation. Nearby buildings experienced superficial damage.
The University of Texas Police Department asked residents to void the area along 32nd Street and I-35 corridor as the lane has been barricaded by fire officials and rescue operations are underway. The Austin Fire Department reported the building was entirely engulfed in flames by the time they arrived.
Visuals From the Spot
Videos shared on social media show a billow of smoke with high flames that could be seen from several kilometres and traffic on Interstate 35 as motorists stopped their vehicles to witness their incident. Austin Energy cut off the electricity in the area as a precautionary measure and to prevent any further short-circuit due to fire.
The power outage impacted around 4,324 Austin Energy consumers in the neighbourhood, but power was restored at around 7.42 pm on Sunday.